Top Chef: Seattle

[David Ross]

I use a method of cooking pork belly where the rind is left on while it brines and then braises. Then it's chilled overnight. The rind is cut off the next day, being careful not to cut too deeply into the fatty layer, then the belly is sauteed and/or broiled to crisp the fat. It's delicous, crunchy yet soft. And you won't break your tooth.

[IndyRob]

I have had crisy pork skin cooked by European relatives though and it was very crunchy.

Might I suggest that crunchy and crispy are not the same things? Well, maybe except for Cap'n Crunch and Quisp.

But for anything that is conducive to being spelled properly, I believe that crispy and crunchy are generally mutually exclusive.

[annabelle]

See Dave's post above. Crispy and crunchy are interchangable, to my mind.

[IndyRob]

See Dave's post above. Crispy and crunchy are interchangable, to my mind.

"Crunchy yet soft?" Yes, I believe I've fallen down the rabbit hole.

[David Ross]

See Dave's post above. Crispy and crunchy are interchangable, to my mind.

Well, in my feeble culinary mind crispy and crunchy are interchangeable. It's sort of like the prawn vs. shrimp terminology, which are used within sentences all the time, albeit there are technical differences according to intellectuals.

When Stefan pulled one tray of the pork belly out of the oven it looked incinerated. The skin on the next tray of pork belly looked better. Tom's reaction reminded me of Charlie Chaplin eating his boot, with a harder texture! I can't imagine Sunday lunch in London with a plate of that hard tack.

[David Ross]

See Dave's post above. Crispy and crunchy are interchangable, to my mind.

"Crunchy yet soft?" Yes, I believe I've fallen down the rabbit hole.

You haven't fallen nor have I. When you bite through the "crunchy/crisp" top of the fatty layer of pork belly it gives way to the "soft" fat below. It seems that Tom couldn't get through the cement layer on top of Stefan's pork belly to experience the other textures.

[annabelle]

See, that's what I don't understand about Stefan's pork belly. He and Josh were eating the crunchy parts in the kitchen prior to service. How did it suddenly or seemly suddenly become so crunchy that Tom is claiming that he broke a tooth? (Which tooth-breaking I am dismissing as drama. If he'd truly broken a tooth, we'd have heard about it. Many, many times.)

Personally, I think it was a different preparation of the pork belly than they are usually served plus the ravioli stuffed with parsnip which, according to Padma, eclipsed the flavors of the smoked eel. That also seems unusual since parsnips taste peppery and smoked eel is very strong-flavored. The description sounded good to me, but as we are always saying, we don't get to taste it.

Next week, Sheldon would do himself some favors by cooking something that isn't Asian.

[IndyRob]

See Dave's post above. Crispy and crunchy are interchangable, to my mind.

"Crunchy yet soft?" Yes, I believe I've fallen down the rabbit hole.

You haven't fallen nor have I. When you bite through the "crunchy/crisp" top of the fatty layer of pork belly it gives way to the "soft" fat below. It seems that Tom couldn't get through the cement layer on top of Stefan's pork belly to experience the other textures.

Pork fat would always be a nice surprise under any sort of barrier - including the shoe leather that many BBQ enthusiasts would describe as a highly desirable 'bark'. But I'd rather go through crispy pork fat than crunchy pork skin.

[David Ross]

In the past I've ranted about the Producer's shifting the final episodes from a great culinary city to some far-flung tropical resort. Although the Chefs are cruising their way to Alaska, it's still an important connection to our beautiful Pacific Northwest. I'm not sure about other regional areas of the country and if they feel divided by State lines rather than bound by regional borders, but in the Northwest I feel our states have a strong bond to the region and our foods.

[huiray]

See Dave's post above. Crispy and crunchy are interchangable, to my mind.

"Crunchy yet soft?" Yes, I believe I've fallen down the rabbit hole.

You haven't fallen nor have I. When you bite through the "crunchy/crisp" top of the fatty layer of pork belly it gives way to the "soft" fat below. It seems that Tom couldn't get through the cement layer on top of Stefan's pork belly to experience the other textures.

Pork fat would always be a nice surprise under any sort of barrier - including the shoe leather that many BBQ enthusiasts would describe as a highly desirable 'bark'. But I'd rather go through crispy pork fat than crunchy pork skin.

See, that's what I don't understand about Stefan's pork belly. He and Josh were eating the crunchy parts in the kitchen prior to service. How did it suddenly or seemly suddenly become so crunchy that Tom is claiming that he broke a tooth? (Which tooth-breaking I am dismissing as drama. If he'd truly broken a tooth, we'd have heard about it. Many, many times.)

Personally, I think it was a different preparation of the pork belly than they are usually served plus the ravioli stuffed with parsnip which, according to Padma, eclipsed the flavors of the smoked eel. That also seems unusual since parsnips taste peppery and smoked eel is very strong-flavored. The description sounded good to me, but as we are always saying, we don't get to taste it.

...

Here's what a commentator (AugustaGa) on Hugh Acheson's blog about this episode said in his/her lead-off sentence:

"I have spoken to my boss, who is from Germany, and my girlfriend, who was stationed in Germany, and they indicate that the pork was cooked correctly for the areas they were from. This is backed up by what Curtis said as well."

[annabelle]

Aha! I feel vindicated.

[huiray]

Heh. Nevertheless, we did not actually get to taste/sample that "crispy pork". If it was truly HARD HARD, versus just "hard" in the European manner, I suppose it would be a factor. I must think that it wasn't that bad, since Curtis Stone liked it.

[annabelle]

For a show that is all about pushing the envelope, they do little of that. Pork belly, duck breast, pasta, ad infinitum. Nine times out of ten, not a chef can cook a piece of fish or chicken to suit them.

And never, ever make risotto because Judge of Italian Descent will tell you that it sucks out loud and quite obviously you have no technique.

Or crunchy pork belly.

[David Ross]

And now it's time for me to return to one of the most unique and creative dishes ever presented on Top Chef:

From Season Three, Chef Hung Hunyh, "Geoduck with Black Chicken." That's one example of what I've been talking about in terms of looking for more consistent creativity and talent from this year's Chefs. We've seen some great talent and special dishes this year, but it seems like the stunning dishes aren't coming consistently.

[annabelle]

Oh, I agree Dave. Chef Hung was a joy to watch. I can still see him flying through cutting up four chickens in no time flat.

Maybe the show has outlived its useful life? It seems to be more about personalities than cooking anymore. I really don't watch this show to see the chef's trash talk each other, drink beer and roll their eyes and make excuses about how they weren't able to execute their dishes. Cook already and do something really outstanding while you're at it.

[David Ross]

Oh, I agree Dave. Chef Hung was a joy to watch. I can still see him flying through cutting up four chickens in no time flat.

Maybe the show has outlived its useful life? It seems to be more about personalities than cooking anymore. I really don't watch this show to see the chef's trash talk each other, drink beer and roll their eyes and make excuses about how they weren't able to execute their dishes. Cook already and do something really outstanding while you're at it.

"Cook already and do something really outstanding while you're at it." One of the best quotes of the season!

[David Ross]

I've been thinking about the latest episode this afternoon and the previews I've seen of the upcoming episode. While the Chefs have used some of our wonderful ingredients in the Pacific Northwest, (Spring Salmon and other seafoods in the Space Needle episode), the absence of some of our most well-known ingredients is striking--Filberts, (yep, that's what we call 'em, not the more chi-chi French term 'hazelnuts'), Alaskan Spot Prawns, more Dungeness Crab, more pure white Halibut, any form of Huckleberry and any variety of Apple, and finally, the cellar of Northwest wines including the prized Ice Wine. If the larder wasn't stocked with these products, shame on the Producers. If most of these products weren't in season when the show was taped, shame on the Producers. I suppose it's too much to ask to film Top Chef at the peak of the season.

[annabelle]

I love Ice Wine. Huckleberries aren't in season untill June, though. When was this filmed?

[David Ross]

I love Ice Wine. Huckleberries aren't in season untill June, though. When was this filmed?

I think it was filmed in the Spring as I remember Tom Douglas talking about the Spring Salmon run during the Space Needle episode. If it's a good year, we'll see huckleberries on the East side in late July. But here's a tip, wait as long as you possibly can, down to the last day of the season if you can, (usually mid-September). That's when the huckleberries are sweetest. You just have to get to them before the bears eat every last berry.

[gfweb]

I have that problem with the blackberries. Damn birds get them too early and I miss the sweetest ones.

[Shalmanese]

I love Ice Wine. Huckleberries aren't in season untill June, though. When was this filmed?

I think it was filmed in the Spring as I remember Tom Douglas talking about the Spring Salmon run during the Space Needle episode. If it's a good year, we'll see huckleberries on the East side in late July. But here's a tip, wait as long as you possibly can, down to the last day of the season if you can, (usually mid-September). That's when the huckleberries are sweetest. You just have to get to them before the bears eat every last berry.

It was filmed during Bite of Seattle in mid July.

[annabelle]

We have a Huckleberry Festival in July, but our weather is quite a bit warmer than yours.

Birds are forever eating my tomatoes just as they are perfect. I need a new cat.

[Big Joe the Pro]

I'll miss Stephan, he was entertaining. He seems to be quite the ladies' man as well.

Did you see the bear in the preview for the next episode? What silly and unnecessary thing will this be; kill, skin and cook a bear using nothing but a butter knife?

Who's going to win this thing? My money's on one of the women, probably Brooke.

[Mjx]

. . .

Did you see the bear in the preview for the next episode? What silly and unnecessary thing will this be; kill, skin and cook a bear using nothing but a butter knife?

. . .

The bear is probably a surprise guest contestant. Sounds like they've jumped every other shark!

[Jaymes]

I got quite a kick out of Curtis Stone's comment, regarding the iceberg lettuce challenge, "Let's hope the only iceberg we see on this trip is the one on our plate."

Curtis, dear boy, do you not know where you're going?

Because I can guarantee you that you're going to see more icebergs than any human can possibly count.